Win13 Evolution of the Navy’s Industrial Radiological ... · Naval Operations (OPNAV) level. The modern RADCON branch was born. Due in part to the robustness of the industrial RADCON

REMEDIATION IS ALWAYS a complex process, butremediation of radiologically contaminated areas posesan especially difficult challenge. This challenge is beingmet by personnel from the Chief of Naval OperationsEnergy and Environmental Readiness Division’s (N45)Radiological Controls (RADCON) Branch Office andtheir technical support centers as they support animmense cleanup effort at three California locationsand generate new instructions and guidance to ensurethe proper management of radioactive materials acrossthe Navy.

The largest of these cleanup efforts is taking place in thearea once known as Hunters Point Shipyard (HPS), insouth San Francisco. The site consists of 936 acres—493on land and 443 under water in San Francisco Bay. Thesite was closed in 1994 as part of the Base Realignmentand Closure (BRAC) program, and radiological contamina-tion was discovered as environmental restoration activi-ties were occurring on the grounds.

To assist with the radiological cleanup, a Navy contractorestablished a state-of-the-art on-site radiological laboratory,

18 Currents winter 2013

Evolution of the Navy’s Industrial RadiologicalControls ProgramToday’s Program Showcases Successful Remediation Actions, New Instruction & Guidance

Hunters Point.© OpenStreetMap contributors

winter 2013 Currents 19

capable of screening for radioisotopesat extremely low levels to meet thevery conservative remediation goals setfor the shipyard. Over 87,000 soilsamples and over 1,200 groundwatersamples were analyzed for varioustypes of radioactive materials. Using anon-site laboratory allowed soil samplesto be turned around within 24 hours,as opposed to the 30 to 45 days itwould take to get data back from anoff-site laboratory. With powerful, near“real time” on-site laboratory capabili-ties, the Navy was able to make in-the-

field remediation decisions much fasterand without the expensive mobiliza-tion/demobilization required by theradiological contractors.

The Navy’s largest removal action atHPS, which has been ongoing since2006, involves removing over 34miles of sanitary and storm drainsewer lines to deal with low-level radi-ation that was discovered throughoutthe system. Other actions includeremoving fuel pipelines, removing orreclaiming soil, and demolishingentire buildings. To date, approxi-mately 65 percent of the radiologi-cally impacted areas have beencleared through a process of excava-tion and disposal. Approximately 859

acres remain to be transferredpending further environmentalcleanup actions. (Note: For moreinformation about BRAC, visitwww.bracpmo.navy.mil.)

Radium’s Early HistoryThe situation at Hunters Point is farfrom unique. During the heyday ofthe radium era, disposal was not regu-lated and radioactive commoditieswere disposed of with the commontrash. This means that just about

every military and commercial landfilldating back from the early 20thcentury to the early 1970s couldcontain some type of radium devices.Fortunately, the large majority ofthese devices have very smallamounts of radioactivity.

The harmful effects of radium were notknown for many years. In fact, shortlyafter Madame Curie isolated radiumaround the turn of the 20th century,there was a notable interest in theelement and its implied medical uses.In 1903, Dr. Willy Meyer used radiumto treat an incurable tumor, and it wasobserved to shrink and become lesspainful, though the patient ultimately

died. Soon radium was hailed as thecure-all, and a number of “healthitems” entered the market. Theseproducts ranged from radium supposi-tories to radium toothpaste, andincluded such items as a “radioen-docrinator” to help male potency.These claims are still exploited in otherparts of the world today.

Radium in the ServicesWhen World War I started, the militaryneeded to coordinate night operations,

and started buyingwatches and othercommodities thatwere radioluminescent.In particular, the Navy bought thou-sands of deck markers. The deckmarkers were used to identify theedges of the piers, dry docks, andmany areas in a ship, very similar tothe bridge markers used by the Army.Additionally, many of the dials on aship or in aircraft were radiolumines-cent. During World War II, personnelmarkers were added to the list of radio-luminsecent devices. These were clip-on devices that personnel would wearat night for better visibility. Also,gamma radiography began to be used

Just about every landfill dating back from the early 20th century to the early 1970s could contain some type of radium devices.

our sidebar entitled, “The RadiumGirls.”) However, these regulationswere only effective up to a point sincethere were no disposal directions.

Managing Radioactive DevicesIn 1946, the Navy played a large role inthe development of the Atomic EnergyCommission (AEC). The main purposeof the AEC was to transfer control ofatomic energy into civilian hands. Tenyears later, the Atomic Energy Act waspassed, which included requirementsfor the management of radioactivematerials. However, the instructions fordisposal of radioactive materials wasstill somewhat vague and was restrictedto “licensed facilities.” For example, inthe late 1950s, one of the disposalplans sanctioned by the AEC included

hiring licensed commercial boats orNavy ships to haul 55-gallon drums ofradioactive waste out to sea, to bedumped overboard into deep water.

The Nuclear EraAs the Cold War accelerated andnuclear power plants came onto thescene, more and more radioactivewaste was entering the air and water inmyriad ways. It was clear to scientists(and to the public) that a new solutionwas needed. By the early 1960s,geologic storage was the acceptedwaste management strategy within theAEC for high-level radioactive waste(waste from nuclear power plants).

However, according to the U.S. Envi-ronmental Protection Agency (EPA)


as a control for quality assurance ofwelds. Medically, it was used to treatthe sinuses of submariners who couldnot equalize during a dive.

One of the disadvantages of radiumwas that the energy of the alphaparticle emitted during decay is verystrong and ended up burning the zinc-sulfide that causes the luminescence.This meant that dials eventually losttheir radioluminescence and had to berefurbished. The Navy set up radiolu-minescence dial shops at the Navy’sdepots—now its Fleet ReadinessCenters. Based partly on the experi-ence of the “Radium Girls,” the Navyrealized the problems associated withradium paint shops and issued regula-tions on the proper handling of thematerial. (For more information, read

With powerful, near “real time” on-site laboratory capabilities, the Navy was able to make in-the-field remediation decisions much faster.

Sampling in soil screening yard.


records, the AEC faced stiff resistancewhen they announced plans to locatean underground storage facility in anabandoned salt mine near Lyons,Kansas. This led to a long period ofuncertainty about what to do withradiological waste.

When EPA was founded in 1970, theAEC’s authority to issue generallyapplicable environmental radiationstandards was transferred to EPA. Inthe mid-1970s, the AEC itselfdisbanded, splitting into two separateagencies—the Department of Energy(DOE) to handle research, and theNuclear Regulatory Commission(NRC) to regulate the industry.

A decade or so later, the NuclearWaste Policy Act (NWPA) of 1982 waspassed. The NWPA assigned DOE theresponsibility to site, build, andoperate a deep geologic repository forthe disposal of high-level waste andspent nuclear fuel. Today, this reposi-tory is located at Yucca Mountain,Nevada, but is not in use and thereare current plants to close the site.

Also in 1982, Chief of Naval Opera-tions Admiral James Watkins set up acoordinating office on radiologicalcontrols at the Office of the Chief ofNaval Operations (OPNAV) level. Themodern RADCON branch was born.

Due in part to the robustness of theindustrial RADCON program, the NRCapproached the Navy about becominga partially self-regulating organization

Sewer and storm drain removal.

Excavation awaiting backfill.

in 1984–5. In 1987, the Chief of NavalOperations Environmental Protection,Safety and Occupational Health Divi-sion (now the Energy and Environ-mental Readiness Division) received aMaster Materials License from the NRC,granting it authority to train, inspectand certify others in the Department ofNavy who handle and manage radioac-

tive materials from cradle-to-grave.Unlike the NRC, the RADCON programcan operate wherever the Navy has apresence—be it on a ship at sea or afacility on foreign soil.

How RADCON WorksN45 is the resource manager for radio-logical control issues—they oversee

policy and provide management viathe Naval Radiation Safety Committee.The program managers for RADCONare the Naval Sea Systems Command(NAVSEA) 04N Radiological ControlsOffice and the Navy Bureau of Medi-cine and Surgery (BUMED). NAVSEA04N is in charge of industrial uses ofradiological material. Technical


IN 1941, JUST days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, theNavy took control of a ship repair facility known as Hunters Point,formerly leased to Bethlehem Steel. A series of quays, docks, andsupport buildings were built on an expedited wartime schedule atthe facility to support the yard’s mission of fleet repair and mainte-nance. A major expansion on the north side of the shipyard occurredduring 1942 and 1943 when a submarine servicing facility consistingof dry docks and industrial and barracks buildings was completed.

In 1945, HPS served as the loading point for the radioactive mate-rials used in the atomic weapons that were dropped on Hiroshima

and Nagasaki. The components were transported to a “safe house”at HPS, where they awaited the USS Indianapolis. The exact locationof the “safe house” and the exact time the weapon componentsarrived has not been determined. Every security precaution wastaken, including emptying all dry docks and berths at HPS.

Immediately after the end of World War II, the Navy used theexpansive berthing facilities at HPS for reserve fleet ships returningfrom the Pacific. In 1946, this berthing was interrupted by the returnof the Navy target and support ships from the two atomic testsconducted at Bikini Atoll in the South Pacific.

The return of these ships resulted in the creationof a special radiation safety office—the Naval Radi-ological Defense Laboratory (NRDL). In additionto handling radiological decontamination of theseships, the NRDL conducted research and experi-ments on radiological decontamination, the devel-opment of radiation detection instruments, andthe effect of atomic weapons on living organisms,equipment, and vessels.

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, HPS continuedto operate as a shipyard. Its name was changedto Treasure Island Naval Station Hunters PointAnnex after it went under BRAC. In 1974, theNavy ceased shipyard operations at HPS. FromMay 1976 to June 1986, Triple A Machine Shop,Inc. leased most of HPS from the Navy and oper-ated these leased areas as a commercial shiprepair facility.

Remediation at Hunters Point under BRAC beganin 1992, when EPA signed a Federal FacilitiesAgreement with the Navy and the State of Cali-fornia to establish agreed upon requirements forenvironmental investigation and cleanup andultimate transfer of the property to the City ofSan Francisco.

The History of Hunters Point


support for this office comes from theNAVSEA Detachment, RadiologicalAffairs Support Office (RASO). BUMEDhelps regulate nuclear medicine, withtechnical support from the Navy andMarine Corps Public Health Center(NMCPHC). Both RASO and NMCPHCare staffed with inspectors and assistpersonnel who ensure that radiologicalequipment and materials are beingused properly and that all safetyprecautions are being followed.

For any Navy office or facility to beable to handle radioactive materials,they must first apply for a NavalRadioactive Materials Permit (NRMP)from the Naval Radiation SafetyCommittee. (Note: The Naval NuclearPropulsion Program and the NavalNuclear Weapons Program are notcovered by this program). This appli-cation insures that a command hasthe proper operating, training andemergency procedures in place forthe safe use of radioactive materials.

View of San Francisco.

The Radium Girls

THE WOMEN WHO worked with radium as watch-dial painters in the 1920s began todevelop cancerous tumors, bone problems, and suffered painful amputations. Healthworkers learned that these women were instructed to lick their brushes while working toget a good point on the end of the brush for their detailed work. This resulted in themingesting what often amounted to lethal quantities of radioactive compounds. The case of the “Radium Girls,” which included workers from Ottawa, Illinois and Orange, NewJersey, made its way to the top of the country’s the legal system, reaching the U.S.Supreme Court in 1939. The women won a modest settlement and helped to shape U.S. labor law.

Source: Voice of America (www.voanews.com/content/radium-girls-remembered-for-role-in-shaping-us-labor-law-129169888/144746.html)

The application must include, amongother things, names of the person orpersons to be held responsible,training plans, emergency prepared-ness plans, and a diagram ofproposed storage facilities. The appli-cation is a lengthy interactive processbetween a technical support centerand the applying command, which

lasts for several months (and up to ayear) to review the training, operatingand emergency procedures, inspectthe facilities, and insure that all safetyissues have been addressed. Once thecommittee is assured that thecommand is safe, they issue theNRMP, which allows a command toacquire and use radioactive materials.

The NRMP is granted for ten years,and then it must be renewed, utilizingthe same process (and same timeframe) as applying for a new permit.

Inspectors from RASO and NMCPHCperform regular inspections of facilitiesand equipment that utilize radioactivematerials. The period between inspec-tions varies depending on the relativerisk of the operation. Inspections areunannounced, and performed withthe assistance of command manage-ment. According to the Naval Radia-tion Safety Committee StandardOperation Procedures manual, “Theinspection will consist of observationsof permittee operations, interviewswith staff, and document review tosupplement inspector observations.Radiation surveys will also beconducted. Emphasis should beplaced on observing permittee perfor-mance as it relates to staff training,equipment operation, overall manage-ment of the permitted program, andintegration of safety.” (For moredetails, see our sidebar entitled,

“The Naval Radiation Safety CommitteeStandard Operation Procedures.”)

Inspectors and permit reviewersmust attend a minimum of fivecourses, as well as other courses inindustrial or medical specialties asneeded. In addition, they are

expected to read all applicable codesand regulations and participate insite visits. Refresher training isprovided during periodic staff meet-ings. Finally, all inspectors andpermit reviewers must complete atleast 24 hours of formal training peryear on such topics as environmental


Time-critical removal action underway.

The Naval Radiation Safety Committee Standard OperationProcedures Manual

AMONG OTHER DIRECTIVES, this manual outlines the standard operating procedures(SOP) for both the industrial and medical technical support teams. The section on inspec-tions specifies the manner in which inspections are conducted. Basically, these consist ofobservation, interviews, document reviews, and independent and confirmatory measure-ments. The inspector then writes up a report—making sure to inform the Executive Secre-tary immediately if any Notices of Violation (NOV) are found. If NOVs are found, thecommand is given 30 to 60 days to respond regarding the root cause for the NOV,corrective steps that have been taken and results achieved, steps that will be taken toavoid future NOVs, and the date when full compliance is expected.

The manual discusses and classifies NOVs according to various severity levels, and outlinesSOPs for each scenario. It also addresses repetitive violations and enforcement actions, whichmay include conferences with the permittee, and, in severe cases, revocation of the permit.


monitoring and modeling, dosimetry (radiation detectioninstruments), decommissioning, and regulatory updates.

Low-Level Waste DisposalThe Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980 giveseach U.S. state the responsibility to develop a method fordisposing of its Low-Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW). LLRW isdefined by the Atomic Energy Act of 1954 as “radioactivematerial that is not categorized as high-level radioactive waste,transuranic waste (waste containing artificially manufacturedradioactive elements), spent nuclear fuel, or byproduct mate-rial,” and which the NRC classifies as LLRW.

To comply with this Act, the Department of the Navy(DON) formed its Low-Level Radioactive Waste DisposalProgram. The DON LLRW Disposal Program provides ameans to minimize the storage of unwanted DONradioactive material worldwide, reduce the potential forradioactive contamination and personnel radiation expo-sure, and ensure proper disposal of LLRW. All DON activi-ties are required to dispose of LLRW through the DONLLRW Disposal Program. DON activities must submitrequests for LLRW disposal to RASO who will then coordi-nate all disposals through Department of Defense LLRWExecutive Agency in full compliance with federal andstate regulations. Currently, there are four disposal sitesfor LLRW in the U.S.:

Implementation of Web Site Will FurtherEnhance RADCON Program

THE NAVY ENVIRONMENTAL Sustainability Developmentto Integration (NESDI) program initiated the developmentof a workflow database tool to further enhance themanagement and operation of the RADCON program. Thenew tool (called the Radiological Affairs Support ProgramWeb tool or RASPWeb for short) will capture, manage, andtrack all data associated with RASP inspections and inven-tories; and issue, track, and archive voluminous NRMPcorrespondence and associated data.

Currently, all inspection, permitting, and inventoryprocesses associated with RASP are tracked in a stand-alone Microsoft Excel-based management system that iscumbersome and inefficient, affords limited user access,and may be subject to common administrative errors. Thisapproach incurs additional burden to Radiological AffairsSupport Office (RASO) staff.

RASP management processes will be completely over-hauled and workflow processes dramatically streamlinedby implementing a secure, enterprise-wide, web-enableddatabase tool. Moreover, RASPWeb will be built off of theexisting, proven framework of similar Navy web applica-tions and database environments, working to leverageefficiencies by reducing both development time/cost andrisk. The ultimate goal is for RASPWeb to replace every-thing feasible that is currently stored in physical hardcopy format with an efficient, flexible framework thatseamlessly manages workflow and correspondence, andis readily accessible to the Navy radiological user.Imple-mentation of RASPWeb will enable RASO staff to main-tain their core mission focus while ensuring a highdegree of compliance with environ-mental rules and regulations.

Personnel from RASO and theNaval Facilities Engineeringand Expeditionary WarfareCenter are developing andvalidating the requirements for RASPWeb as part of NESDIproject #495—the RadioactiveMaterial Permit Generation,Management, and Tracking System.

For more information about the NESDI program, visitwww.nesdi.navy.mil.

Trench sampling from manlift.

1. Clive, Utah

2. Grandview, Idaho

3. Richland, Washington

4. Andrews, Texas

To assist with LLRW disposal across DON, new instructionsare being prepared by N45, and are expected to bereleased within the year. (Note: All Navy instructionscan be downloaded from http://doni.daps.dla.mil.)

New Instruction on Licensed & Exempt MaterialsN45 issued a recent instruction regarding the handlingof generally licensed and exempt materials(OPNAVINST 6470.4). The purpose of the instruc-tion—ACQUISITION, USE AND DISPOSAL OFCERTAIN NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSIONREGULATED RADIOACTIVE DEVICES AND SOURCEMATERIAL—is to establish Navy policy for the acquisi-tion, use, and disposal of various categories of devicesand material regulated by the NRC. These categoriesare as follows:

1. Exempt devices.

This refers to consumer devices not generally recog-nized to pose an unreasonable risk to human healthand safety and includes such items as smoke detec-tors, self-luminous watches, and some rifle scopes.

2. Generally licensed radioactive devices.

These are devices manufactured and distributed under aspecific license issued by the NRC or by an agreementstate, and are deemed safe for use by personnel with noradiation safety training. Some examples include gaschromatograph units, static eliminators, luminous exitsigns, and calibration or reference standards.


Sampling former isotope storage vault.

Screening Soil for Radioactive Components

DURING REMEDIATION, SOIL is tested for all sorts of contaminants.Typically, soil samples are scooped into premeasured compartmentsand tested for heavy metals, pesticides and polychlorinatedbiphenyls. Radium testing can be done in the laboratory, but becauseof the radioactive emissions, a different process is often used. AtAlameda Point, all potentially contaminated soil is collected anddumped into a screening area the size of a tennis court, and gradedsmooth to a depth no greater than 12 inches. Then an electric vehiclewith a scanning rig and Global Positioning System mapping systemdrives back and forth over every inch—at what the Alameda Environ-mental Office describes as “the pace of a turtle.” If any radiation isdetected, it is mapped onto a computer, and the area is scooped upand placed in a LLRW bin. This is a time-consuming process, but it isvery thorough. However, it is slowed even further when it rains sincethe process cannot take place when soil is wet.


3. Generally licensed radioactivedevices above a certain quantity.

Some of the materials that fallinto category 2 have isotopesthat equal or exceed a certainlevel. (The instruction specifieswhat the level is for varioussubstances.) Navy and MarineCorps activities are prohibitedfrom acquiring or using thismaterial, except as authorizedunder a permit of the NavalRadiation Safety Committee.

4. ‘Unimportant’ quantities ofsource material.

Some examples include thori-ated tungsten welding rods,depleted uranium counter-weights in aircraft or rockets,magnesium-thorium alloys foraircraft engines, piezoelectricceramics, vacuum tubes, thori-ated lenses, and germicidallamps. This material may berestricted in quantity.

Preparing discharge channel for survey.

Pickling tank demolition.

5. Generally licensed source material, such as uranylacetate used in electron microscopy and thoriumdioxide used in crafting high quality lenses.

Navy and Marine Corps activities are prohibited fromacquiring or using this material, except as authorizedunder a permit of the Naval Radiation Safety Committee.

Decommissioning & RemediationThe NRMP and the technical support offices are bothmanaged by N45 through the Radiological AffairsSupport Program (RASP). The RASP manual requires thateach command maintain a detailed record of where allradioactive material is or has ever been stored, alongwith the type and amount of said material. Theserecords “should identify areas where there is a reason-able likelihood that contaminants may have spread toinaccessible areas including seepage into porous mate-rials such as concrete.”

A site may be decommissioned prior to the NRMP expira-tion, or if the command decides to permanently ceaseoperations involving the use of permitted radioactivematerial. Decommissioning may apply to an entire facilityor a single building.

The RASP manual describes the steps that must befollowed during the decommissioning process. One of thefirst steps includes conducting a Historical Radiological


The Basics About Uses of Radioactivity inthe Navy & Marine Corps

AS IN THE rest of modern society, devices containing smallamounts of radioactivity are common throughout the Navyand Marine Corps. Industrial radiography, for example, isused to X-ray aircraft and ships as part of routine inspection.Radiography is also used for package security inspections.Nuclear medicine employs radiation in many diagnostictools such as X-ray and CT scan machines, teletherapy (useof an external beam radiotherapy), and irradiation to elimi-nate bacteria. Other examples of equipment capable ofproducing ionizing radiation include particle accelerators,electron microscopes, and laboratory analytical devices.

RASP covers these types of devices as well as commoditiescontaining radioactive material such as:

� Electronic devices (electron tubes)

� Luminescent/self-illuminating devices (watches)

� Ionization devices (smoke detectors)

� Analytical devices (gauges)

� Items containing natural radioisotopes (aircraft/vehicleparts and welding rods)

Drydock 4 caisson.


Assessment (HRA) to determine the loca-tion and level of radioactive contaminationremaining in the facility or area.

The guidelines for a Navy HRA are equiv-alent to the guidelines for a Historical SiteAssessment that were established in theMulti-Agency Radiation Survey and SiteInvestigation Manual. Through research,interviews and site visits, an HRA isprepared that will document, refine andexpand the record of historical radiolog-ical activities at the facility. For BRACsites, the HRA is used to facilitate transferof the property for civilian redevelop-ment. Information for the HRA comesfrom record searches, interviews, and sitevisits regarding locations where radioac-tive materials may have been used,stored, or disposed.

The HRA for Hunters Point, for example,covered 882 historical and current sites andsupport areas. Of these, 91 were identifiedas radiologically impacted to some degree.

If needed, the facility will be required todevelop a decommissioning plan toremove residual radioactive contaminationto levels prescribed by NRC regulations.The plan is required to include:

� Current radioactive contaminationlevels at the site

� The criteria for the final condition ofthe site

� A process to remediate existingradioactive contamination notcurrently authorized by the NRMP (ifapplicable)

� Procedures to protect workersperforming decontamination

� Decommissioning cost estimates

� The final survey method to demonstratecompliance with NRC release criteria

� A schedule for remediation activitiesand NRMP termination

Furnace demolition.

Concrete-encased pipe awaiting survey.

Other Impacted SitesThe former Naval Station Treasure Island California is alsoundergoing remediation. Treasure Island is a man-madeisland located in the middle of San Francisco Bay, and wasconstructed from dredged sediments for inclusion in the1939 Golden Gate International Exposition. The Navy,which operated a base on adjacent Yerba Buena Island,acquired Treasure Island in 1942. The island became amajor naval facility during World War II, processingapproximately 12,000 outgoing and incoming militarypersonnel per day. It was closed in 1997.

The Navy has been working with the State of California formore than 20 years under a consultation framework estab-lished by a 1992 Federal Facilities Site Remediation Agree-ment to protect human health and the environment.According to the Navy’s BRAC web site(www.bracpmo.navy.mil), an HRA was conducted for Trea-sure Island in 2006, which assessed 542 historical andcurrent sites (buildings, structures, and open areas). Eigh-teen sites were identified as requiring further review. Ofthose 18 sites, five sites were designated as “impacted.”Radium-226 was found in one area—the former bunkers.All impacted soil from this area has now been screened andproperly disposed of. New work has identified radium inthree other areas and their associated drain systems. Reme-diation is ongoing at these areas.

The Navy is working on a supplemental Technical Memo-randum to the HRA in August 2012 to identify additionalareas on the installation that may require further evalua-


What is Radiation?

RADIATION IS ENERGY in the form of waves or movingsubatomic particles, occurring naturally or in manmade form.Some naturally occurring sources of radiation are our own atmos-phere, our soil, water and vegetation. Manmade sources of radia-tion include televisions, medical machinery (such as X-rays), andlinear accelerators.

Ionization is the process by which an atom or molecule changesinto an ion—a particle with a net positive or negative electricalcharge. Ionization occurs when there is an imbalance betweenthe total number of electrons and the total number of protons.Ionizing radiation has enough energy to excite and remove elec-trons when it comes in contact with other matter. Enough ioniza-tions can be destructive to biological organisms.

Types of ionizing radioactivity include:

� Alpha and beta particles (both of which are easily stopped byair or cloth and difficult to detect)

� Gamma rays

� Neutron particles (which rarely occur naturally and are alsodifficult to detect)

If naturally occurring radia-tion is found, remediationproceeds following theComprehensive Environ-mental Response, Compen-sation, and Liability Act(CERCLA) model. Commonlyknown as Superfund, thisprocess involves a prelimi-nary assessment, a feasibilitystudy, records of decision, aremedial plan, constructionand post-constructionphases, and a plan for sitereuse or redevelopment.

If licensed radioactive materialis found, cleanup proceedsaccording to NRC rules. In the case of Hunters Point, bothtypes of radiation were found. To avoid duplicative efforts,the NRC agreed to review the documents generated underCERCLA for compliance with their regulations.

Gun mole crane.


tion for radiological contamination. All continuing radiolog-ical response actions are being undertaken in cooperationwith the State of California.

N45 is also overseeing radiological remediation efforts atthe former Naval Air Station Alameda, California,commonly known as Alameda Point. Alameda Point,located immediately southwest of Oakland, contains a

National Register eligible World War II Historic District andis currently a host to the USS Hornet museum via lease tothe City of Alameda.

The Navy did extensive soil testing at Alameda Pointover the years. An HRA was performed at Alameda Pointand it concluded that of the 685 historical and currentsites, 23 were designated as potentially impacted.Surveys have since confirmed contamination in sevenlocations, which include four sites, two buildings and thedrain lines from these two buildings. Remediations havebeen performed and characterization surveys haveconfirmed the need for further surveys/remediationswithin two buildings.

Whether it’s limiting the use of radioactive materials,ensuring that personnel are using them safely, or aiding inthe remediation of contaminated soil and water, RADCONis dedicated to supporting the Department of Defense’smission while safeguarding the health of Sailors, Marines,Soldiers and civilians. �

CONTACT

Lino FragosoChief of Naval Operations Energy and Environmental Readiness Division703-695-5272DSN: [email protected]

For More Information

FOR MORE INSIGHTS intothe Navy’s use of radiography,see our story in the fall 2012issue of Currents entitled,“Going Digital: Assessing theViability of Computed Radiog-raphy.” To subscribe to themagazine or browse theCurrents archives, visit theDepartment of the Navy’sEnergy, Environment andClimate Change web site athttp://greenfleet.dodlive.mil/currents-magazine.

WA 17 almost complete.

Documents

Win13 Evolution of the Navy’s Industrial Radiological ... · Naval Operations (OPNAV) level. The modern RADCON branch was born. Due in part to the robustness of the industrial RADCON